Zenchess: NIC had an article on it a few years back; I think it was around #60 (I'm not sure of the exact date). Play is actually fairly tame after the initial fireworks; White tries to crash through on the Q-side in the games I have.

notyetagm: There is a new book called The Safest Sicilian. Here is an excerpt from the description of it on the bcmchess website:

<The Bulgarian GM Delchev (current Elo 2661) proposes a sound yet aggressive Black Sicilian repertoire, based on the Taimanov system: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7. As Black, it is extremely difficult to get a playable position without accepting extreme risks. This book deals with reliable positional systems which will serve you for many years, without having to update your opening knowledge every two weeks. This setup is especially effective against the dreaded English attack. >

Why is this setup so effective against the English attack? Because Black is yet to commit his g8-knight to f6, where it usually becomes the target of the g2-g4-g5 pawn push?

Solid DD: Hello all, I'm been thinking of purchasing The Safest Sicilian by Alexander Delchev and Semko Semkov which is based on this repeitore. Can anyone here who has this book give any comments about it?

ChessDude33: <Chlipchlop> Although I do not fully know the virtues of Qc7 over a6, I do know that it saves a tempo in lines involving Nxc6 and Bd3. Also, c7 is a very good square for the queen, eyeing down the c-file and b8-h2 diagonal.

can anyone recommend any other players that play this line so i can look at their games?

<chlipchlop> one of the main points of ...Qc7 is to stop e5 pushes after white prevents the ...Qa5+ trick. also, ...Nc6 isn't really avoiding ...a6, which is often played anyways. it's more like...a6 is sometimes played with the intention of avoiding ...Nc6, reserving the option of ...d6, ...Nbd7. i think.

<notyetagm - Why is this setup so effective against the English attack?> i think because one of the main ideas of this line is a quick ...d5, with ...Bb4 often thrown in to help control this square, and white playing f3 kind of plays into this.

<Because Black is yet to commit his g8-knight to f6, where it usually becomes the target of the g2-g4-g5 pawn push?> black retains the option of ...Nge7, and can consider the exchaging maneuver ...Nge7, ...Nxd4, ...Ne7c6, recycling the knight with tempo on the white recapturing piece on d4. this takes away the target of the g-pawn push, and exchanging a minor piece or 2 often helps black defend these positions.

<who - But in that variation white gets to set up a Marcozy bind.> black needs to be prepared to play against a maroczy setup, which should be possible if you prepare for it. you often get typical hedgehog structures, so look at those ideas. i think allowing the maroczy with 3...Nc6 is less scary than allowing the keres attack after 3...Nf6 4.Nc3 d6. Note that after 4.Nc3, white has stopped the ...Qa5+ trick, so 5.e5 is a threat, compelling 4...d6. 4...Nc6 allows 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5, which might not be so good for black. there's a game in this line in chernev's 62 most instructive games book, with a nasty dark square bind for white. (good book)

this game illustrates some of the dangers that can arise from black's dark squared weaknesses, and should scare you into thinking twice or three times before exchanging your dark squared bishop or allowing white a good moment to play a cramping e5.

black's dark squares need to be taken care of, and exchanging that bishop can backfire, even if you give white doubled isolated c-pawns and win the e4 pawn and play ...d5. be careful. be aware of Ba3 ideas in these lines, which can prevent the option of kingside castling.

ok i'm gonna go order a book now! if you know other champions of this variation please let me know so i can look at their games! goodbye stupid caro kann! i'm gonna win a game or two with black now maybe!

here in a different move order, black essentially plays 5...Nf6 instead of ...Qc7. The Nxc6, e5 idea is what 5...Qc7 tries to avoid, i think, by watching e5. though black wins this game, i don't think i'm going to try to play this line, very very double edged.

To prevent e5 must be the main reason for Qc7, as it sidesteps the variation 5. ... a6 6. NxNc6 bxNc6 7. e5 and 5. ... a6 was not a very useful move.

One of the main ideas of this Sicilian is there's no mandatory rule to force black castling. The king is quite safe behind the small e6-d7-f7 wall. It is then very solid because white must know where the king will be if he wants to be dangerous.

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